Whiffletree and trace connection.



GROW. WHIPFLETREE AND TRAGE GONNEGTION. APPLICATION FILED SEPTJO, 1908.

/4 v lll it 4 V Q/vi lmeoow I Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

GEORGE A. GROW, OF EL'DO'RADO, ARKANSAS.

'WHIFFLETREE AND TRAGE CONNECTION.

n'ofei 'vee.

fiape'cification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Application filed September 10, 1908. Serial No. 452,490.

To o'ZZ w-Ywm it may concern:

Be 'it' known that I, Gnonen A. Cnow, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Dorado, in the county of Union and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whifdetree and Trace Gonnections; and I do declare the following 'to be a full, clear, andeXact description of the invention, such as will enable others" skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same.

This inven'tion relates to improvementsin whifll'etree and trace connections.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of whifiietree and trace connection'whereby the end'of the trace may be quickly and easlly engaged with the whiflietree and whereby the trace when thus engaged will not become casually disconnected from the whiflietree. V

A further object is to provide a connection of this character which will be simple, strong, inexpensive and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation and Well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

Withthese and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of the whifiietree and trace showing the same connected together, and looking toward the outer side of the trace; Fig. 2 is a similar view looking toward the inner side of the trace; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the end of the trace; Fig. 4 is a side view of the end of the trace showing the parts of the same separated to illustrate the different forms and arrangement of the cock-eye in each part; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one end of a modified form of whiffietree connection.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the end of the trace which is preferably formed of leather and constructed in a plurality of parts or layers suitably fastened together as by stitching or riveting.

In the present instance the trace is shown as consisting of an outer section or layer, 2, having formed therein adjacent to its end a cock-eye, 3, said eye comprising a substantially circular hole, 4, with which is connected the forward end of a slot or elongated opening, 5. The inner section or layer, 6, of

the trace has formed therein a cock-eye, 7, which consists of a substantially circular hole, 9, which is disposed at some distance from the end of the trace and in advance of the hole, 4, in the cock-eye, 8, of the outer layer of the trace. A long slot or passage, 10, connects with the :hole, 9, and extends to near the end of the trace, the end of said slot'being in alinement with the end of the slot, 5, in the outer layer of the trace.

' Between the inner and outer'layers or sections, 2 and 6, of the trace is arranged an intermediate layer or section, 12, in which is formed a cockeye, 13, said cock-eye consisting of an elongated passage, 14, the width of which corresponds to the diameter of the holes, 4 and'9, of the cock-eyes, 3 and 7, in theinner and outer layers of the trace. The inner end of the passage, 14, isin alinement with the hole, 9, of the cock-eye, 7, of the inner layer, while theouter end of said passage, 14, is in alinement with the hole, 4, of the cock-eye 3 in the outer layer of the trace, and with said outer end of the passage, 14, is connected the forward end of a slot, 15, which extends toward the rear end of the trace and has its outer end wall in alinernent with the ends of the slots, 5, 10, of the cock-eyes in the outer and inner sections of the trace.

Adapted to be engaged with the cock-eyes in the end of the trace is a fastening stud, 16, which may be formed integral with the end of a ferrule, 17, which is fastened on the end of the whififletree, 19, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, or which may be driven or otherwise secured directly in the end of the whiffletree, as shown in Fig. 5. On the outer end of the stud, 16, is formed a head, 19, the inner side of which is flat and disposed at right-angles to the stud, while the outer side of the head is preferably rounded or beveled, as shown, to facilitate the engagement of the stud with the cock-eyes in the trace.

In connecting the trace with the stud, 1 the head of the stud is first engaged with the hole, 9, of the cock-eye, 7, in the inner trace section, and with the elongated passage, 14, of the cock-eye in the intermediate section, and the stud slipped along in the slot, 10, of said cock-eye, 7, until the head reaches the end of the elongated passage, 14, of the intermediate section, and is in alinernent with the hole, 4, in the cock-eye, 3, of the outer trace section, after which said head is pushed through said hole, 4, and the stud then moved rearwardly through the slots of the cock-eyes in all of the trace sections until said stud engages the rear ends of said slots, when the connection of the trace with the whiffietree will be completed. When the end a of the trace has thus been engaged with the stud, 16, on the end of the whifiletree, said trace will be held against casual disengagement and may only be disconnected from the stud by a reversal of the movement just described.

= the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A trace end formed of a plurality of seetions or layers suitably fastened together,

each of said layers having formed therein a cock-eye having an enlarged opening and an elongated slot connected with said enlarged opening, the opening in the cock-eye of one of said layers being out of alinement with the enlarged opening of the COOli-GYG of: another layer whereby a circuitous passage is formed throu h said layers of the trace end;

2. trace end comprising an outer section 35 having formed therein adjacent to its outer end a cock-eye, an inner section having formed therein a cock-eye, said cock-eyes comprising enlarged openings with which are connected slots, the enlarged o ening of the cock-eye in the inner section being out of alinement with and arranged in advance of the enlarged opening of the cock-eye in the outer section, and an inner section having formed therein a cock-eye comprising an enlarged elongated portion, the forward end of which is in alinement with the enlarged opening of the inner cock-eye and the outer end of which is in alinement with the enlarged opening of the outer oock-eye, and a slot connected at its inner end with the elongated enlarged portion of the cockeye and having its outer end in alinement with the slots of the inner and outer cock-eyes. y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE A. CROW.

Witnesses:

T. W. WILLIAMS, J. M. MoOAIN. 

